Play & Children’s Health:The Value of Playgrounds

Presented By

J.C Boushh

Playitsafesigns@aol.com

What Is Play ?

Play is Freely Chosen, PersonallyDirected, Intrinsically Motivated.

Is Play Important?

Play contains all developmental tendencies…and is itself a major source of development. Children are at their highest level of development when they are at play.Vygotsky (1978)

Is Play Important?

Researchers have discovered that play is related to greater creativity and imagination and even to higher reading levels and IQ scores. Based on the research evidence, a new equation is in order: PLAY = LEARNING. Hirsch-Pasek & Golinkioff (2003)

Is Play Important?

Play affects the personality, character, and abilities of every child, and therefore greatly influences the type of adults they become (This may be the only setting in a child’s daily life for some children to practice their social skills with their peers)

Issues Affecting Children’s Play

The Percentage of Obese Children in the United States has Skyrocketed to 25%, signaling an epidemic, and the percentage will surely grow unless dramatic changes are made in children’s lifestyle.

Issues Affecting Children’s Play

It is virtually impossible to germ-proof your child. Germs are abundant everywhere, especially in situations such as playgrounds. Being exposed to germs is a part of life, but not necessarily unfavorable. Exposure to different viruses and bacteria can actually strengthen a child’s immune system.

Issues Affecting Children’s Play

Parents are going to ludicrous lengths to take the bumps out of life for their children. However, parental hyper-concern has the net effect of making kids more fragile; that may be why they're breaking down in record numbers.

Play and Recess

Many school districts across the country are reducing or eliminating time devoted to recess due in part to increasing school and teacher accountability for student performance on state mandated standardized tests and the belief that time is more wisely spent on academics.

Play and Recess

More recently, since 1990, 40 percent of the nation’s 16,000 school districts have either modified, deleted, or are considering deleting recess from the daily elementary school schedule due to increased pressure from numerous sources to improve achievement. (American Association for the Child’s Right to Play, 2000)

Recess & Physical Health

Daily recess provides many benefits for children including enhanced: aerobic endurance, muscle strength, motor coordination, attentiveness.

Recess & Physical Health

According to Clements and Jarrett (2000) children’s bodies experience heightened physical growth between the ages of 4 and 12, and vigorous physical activity during recess stimulates the development of the heart, lungs, and other vital organs.

Recess & Physical Health

Further, the CDC (1997), reports that regular physical activity is associated with higher levels of self-esteem and lower levels of anxiety in adolescence.

Recess & Physical Health

In addition, Rivkin (2001) found that most children who play outside on a regular basis are healthier, and physically active children are more likely to become physically active adults (AHA, 1999).

The Playground Connection

Outdoor playground environments provide opportunities for physical activity. In a recent study it was found that on average, children ages 4 through 9 burn over 73 calories during 30 minutes of outdoor play (Bower, 2002).

The Playground Connection

Playgrounds are among the most important environments for children outside the home. Most forms of play are essential for healthy developmentbut free, spontaneous play, the kind that occurs on playgrounds is the most beneficial type of play. Morgan (2003)

The Playground Connection

Research by Pellegrini (1992b) suggests that social relationships developed on the playground facilitate relationships and learning inside the classroom as well.

The Playground Connection

Outdoor playground environments provide opportunities for physical activity. In a recent study it was found that on average, children ages 4 through 9 burn over 73 calories during 30 minutes of outdoor play (Bower, 2002).

Playgrounds are among the most important environments for children outside the home. Most forms of play are essential for healthy developmentbut free, spontaneous play, the kind that occurs on playgrounds is the most beneficial type of play. Morgan (2003)

Research by Pellegrini (1992b) suggests that social relationships developed on the playground facilitate relationships and learning inside the classroom as well.

Reading Math Language General

Written/Oral Knowledge

Associate Deductive Abstract Inductive

thinking thinking thinking thinking

Sequencing Analysis Sequence Organizing

synthesis

Visualization Patterning Visual Verbal Memory &

discrimination ability Reason

Center-line Eye-Foot Spatial Eye-Hand,

skills coordination coordination hand-foot

tracking

Dynamic Body Uni./Bi/Cross Locomotor

Balance Awareness Laterality Skills

Academic

Skills

Motor

Skills

The Playground Support Academic Skills

Meta Study

Source: E. Jenkins, “Enriching the Brain,” 2006

Perceptions of Playground Risk

The impetus for getting rid of recess really started with the liability. Kids were getting hurt on blacktops, injured on the playground. As society got increasingly litigious through 1980s, schools started eliminating the possibility of recess accidents. (Hart)

Benefits of Playground Risk Children benefit from play in that it provides an opportunity for children to take risks in all areas of development without concern for serious consequences.

Children normally are perfectly able of assessing risk on their own. They do not knowingly involve themselves in play activities that would bring them in severe danger. But to exceed their limits, gain new abilities, and not least feel the well known thrill of risk, they sometimes have to go outside the playground to find play activities appropriate for their age and capacity. (Source the Hamburger Forum)

Challenge is a test of one’s own abilities in a demanding but stimulating undertaking.

Playgrounds should allow for movement from the less complex to the more complex based on skill development rather than age or school grade alone. (Frost, 2002)

What Are The Effects of Play Deprivation?

The Need for Playgrounds

“To deny children the opportunity to reap the many benefits of regular, vigorous physical activity is to deny them the opportunity to experience the joy of efficient movement, the health effects of movement, and a lifetime as confident, competent movers.” (David Gallahue Handbook of Research on the Education of Young Children)